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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28172796">Little Talks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LooneyLlama/pseuds/LooneyLlama'>LooneyLlama</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff and Angst, Invisibility, Little My angst, Snorkmaiden is a sweetheart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:49:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28172796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LooneyLlama/pseuds/LooneyLlama</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Snorkmaiden can't help but notice how graceful Little My is when she dances.  She asks a question, and gets more answers than she set out to find.  </p><p>90s anime characterizations.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lilla My | Little My/Snorkfröken | The Snork Maiden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Little Talks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Snorkmaiden spent a lot of time watching Little My.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tiny mymble wasn’t graceful so much as precise; she could hop onto a fencepost or shoulder without wobbling, and climbed better than a squirrel.  Snorkmaiden often spotted her skittering through the tall grass, letting it hide her presence until she was ready to jump out and give an unsuspecting passerby a scare.  If anyone were to ask her how Little My moved, Snorkmaiden would answer, “like a tiny tiger, or some other ferocious thing.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet there she was, dancing as delicately as a porcelain ballerina figurine in a music box.  Snorkmaiden watched the girl spin to Snufkin’s harmonica and furrowed her brow.  How typical of Little My, refusing to make any sense.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Snufkin had run off—aiming to find Moomin for an adventure—Snorkmaiden strolled to Little My’s side and sat down.  Attempting to sound casual despite her burning curiosity, she asked, “so, where did you learn to dance like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The doctor,” was the clipped reply.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”  Snorkmaiden furrowed her brow.  “What kind of doctor teaches dancing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, don’t believe me!”  Little My snapped.  “It just figures—I’m trying to tell you something personal, and you accuse me of lying.  Well, I don’t care!”  She crossed her arms and looked away.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snorkmaiden was tempted to stomp away in a huff, but something felt off.  The outburst seemed out of nowhere, even for Little My.  Swallowing her urge to pout, she said, “I’m sorry, I do believe you.  I was just surprised.  Please tell me.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmph.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a second, Snorkmaiden didn’t think she was going to answer.  Then, in a whisper, Little My answered, “because I’m small.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snorkmaiden turned this over in her head, but couldn’t make sense of it.  “I don’t understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not.  If you could figure it out just from that, it would be easy, and things like this can never be easy,” groaned Little My, putting her head in her paws.  “I’m not sure why I’m telling you this at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I did ask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Little My snorted.  “That’s not enough reason for me.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True.  No one can make Little My do anything she doesn’t want to do.”  Snorkmaiden agreed, which got a snicker out of Little My.  “I suppose you must want to tell me, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It sure doesn’t feel like it.”  The mymble sighed.  “All right.  I guess makes the most sense to start at the beginning.  That’s what Moominpappa would say, isn’t it?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a deep breath, she began.  “I had seven siblings in my litter.  When we were born, we were all the same size.  Mamma dressed us all in the same little dresses and the same little shoes.  My siblings outgrew their dresses and shoes.  I...didn’t.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at Snorkmaiden; the other girl’s face held no judgement or pity, just kindness, so Little My forced herself to keep talking.  “The doctor said it was something wrong with my bones, and there’s no medicine or magic spell that can make it better.  It makes me get all achy sometimes, too.  So she gave me a bunch of exercises to do every day, and made them into a dance so I would remember.  That’s how I started dancing.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a moment, Snorkmaiden nodded encouragingly.  “Go on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?  I answered your question already.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But there’s more to this story, isn’t there?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re too clever for your own good,” Little My groused.  “Fine.  Mymblemamma had another litter.  They grew up too.  They’re younger than me, but they got bigger, and I started getting lost.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lost?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lost in the crowd.  I’d be standing there with everyone, and Mamma would have trouble finding me,” explained Little My.  “I tried to make her notice me.  If my siblings were calling for Mamma, I would yell louder.  If they got in my way, I’d bite them.”  She clenched her fists.  “I knew it was mean, but I didn’t have any choice but to be angry at them, because if I wasn’t angry, I would get scared.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Little My swallowed hard.  “What if one day, Mamma couldn’t find me at all?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A chill ran up Snorkmaiden’s spine.  “Little My, do you mean...like Ninny?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Little My didn’t answer, staring down at her feet.  Snorkmaiden desperately wanted to throw her arms around the other girl, but had the feeling it would get her bitten.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I tell you something?” She asked instead.  “I love my brother, but I hate him sometimes, too.  He’s always been so much smarter than me with his machines and his equations.  It can feel like nothing I do matters next to him, with all his accomplishments.”   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snorkmaiden glanced at Little My.  She was still scowling, but not enough to discourage Snorkmaiden.  “I always tried to hide how jealous I was, but now, I think it’s all right to be mad about it sometimes.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put on her best mean face and made a fist.  “So if you ever want to, you can come and be mad with me.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Little My laughed despite herself.  “A cream puff like you getting mad?  How often does that happen?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right, it’s not that often.  But it happens!”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mymble’s smile faded.  “Sometimes, I feel like I’m never anything but angry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll what about when you dance?”  Snorkmaiden offered.  “You don’t look mad when you do that.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I don’t.”  Little My looked thoughtful.  “So, if I can be mad with you sometimes, is it all right if I’m not mad with you sometimes, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were flushed.  “I’m asking if you’d dance with me.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her own snout going pink, Snorkmaiden gave Little My a nod and a smile.  “I would love that.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, shall we?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snorkmaiden blinked.  “Right now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Little My stuck out her tongue.  “Ugh, as much as I hate to admit it, talking did make me feel a bit better.  So, we might as well dance.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beaming, Snorkmaiden slipped her paw into Little My’s.  They strode into the meadow like princesses entering a parquet ballroom, and danced among the flowers.  </span>
</p>
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